Advice~ never cruised RC

[dbrook34601]

Hubby and I have been so stressed with many personal problems lately and we need some R and R so badly. We have only sailed on Carnival in the past and want to try RC. We are very tight on money and will be booking an interior cabin, and I was wondering a couple of things. What is the likely hood of them upgrading our room? Is there something we can do to get it upgraded for Free? Also, any suggestions or advice since this is our first RC cruise (3 day cruise to Bahamas on Enchanted). Since money is so tight the likely hood of excursions is zero, and we just want peace and quite. Thanks!

[rhuntington3]

The Upgrade Fairy as she is called, works in mysterious ways Some people have reported getting a visit from her on their first cruise and others say she starts at the top of the Crown & Anchor and then works downward to the bottom tiers.

 

There's no way to really know.

[Clarea]

I would not book with the expectation of an upgrade. Upgrades seem to be few and far between.

 

If you are able to book on relatively short notice, then you may be able to get some good prices on Enchantment. Use this link to watch for sale prices:

 

http://www.creative.rccl.com/sales/royal/Multi_Dest/Special_Offers/rci_sales_event.pdf

 

The PDF file usually changes every Thursday afternoon.

Edited September 24, 2014 by clarea

[ehfl]

You likely won't get an upgrade. Consider booking a ship with a Solarium for some quiet relaxation by the pool. The promenade deck is also a quiet place to relax and read.

[packercruising]

It is too bad you can only go for three days. Personally I have never heard of any line offering a free upgrade from interior to balcony. It sounds like you are used to balcony on Carnival. Not to worry, though. Interiors are good for peace and quiet. It is exciting that you get to try RC. You might even like it better than Carnival. :)

 

Have a fun, relaxing cruise!

[dbrook34601]

Thank you everyone. The way our life has been lately, I will be more than happy to sit an in interior cabin and sleep, no biggie. I just need to get away and need this. We have adopted a special needs child, with NO REGRETS, it just gets challenging at times, and some ME time is long overdue :-), that is why we can only leave for 3 days too. Thanks for the great advice and link! I will watch that!

[WupperAV]

Children are allowed in the Solarium and they eat by the pool also. If you want quiet you can sit on the aft deck and watch the world go by. We sat by the pools and read or watched the world go by on a 16 day Asian cruise and rarely saw children as they were always busy. I love the sound of kids laughing anyway. Real quiet is in the Library.

Edited September 24, 2014 by WupperAV

[cb at sea]

Children are not allowed to use the loungers or pools in the solarium....if there is a solarium cafe, anyone may get food, there, but under 16 can't stay in the pool area.

 

If you like to tan, don't go on a Radiance class, as the solarium roof is almost never opened!

[PCWalton1]

I have not been on Enchantment but on others of that size (Splendour, Legend, Rhapsody) and have found there are a considerable number of tables on the pool deck that are under cover so you can sit and relax without sitting for extended periods in the direct sun.

We usually get a balcony but for our 15 day Legend cruise we had an inside so we spent the at sea days at those tables and it was great. Didn't miss the balcony at all. :)

[WupperAV]

I have never been aboard a ship that enforced that policy. On everyone I've seen kids around the Solarium and no one said anything or complained and they did eat at the table.

[Ladysilver]

I have never been aboard a ship that enforced that policy. On everyone I've seen kids around the Solarium and no one said anything or complained and they did eat at the table.

 

 

Are you kidding me?? I've NEVER seen kids using the solarium pool, hot tubs, or sitting around eating in there. It's for adults and young people OVER the age of 16, and is there for the sole purpose of allowing ADULTS a CHILD-FREE and QUIET place to relax. :mad:

 

For these reasons, the solarium is my favorite place to hang out. :D

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Thank you everyone. The way our life has been lately, I will be more than happy to sit an in interior cabin and sleep, no biggie. I just need to get away and need this. We have adopted a special needs child, with NO REGRETS, it just gets challenging at times, and some ME time is long overdue :-), that is why we can only leave for 3 days too. Thanks for the great advice and link! I will watch that!

 

God bless you. We also adopted a special needs child many years ago (she is now 41 years old) and like you, we have no regrets. But life can be fun, interesting, challenging and exhausting.:cool:

 

I am so glad you can get away and take a cruise, even a short one. I think you will enjoy the peace and quiet of an inside cabin. Like others have said, the upgrade fairy visits very infrequently on RCI. She has never visited us, and we are Diamond. Pick a cabin where you will be happy. Be careful that you are not under a late night entertainment venue or near where the anchor may drop if you like to sleep in. The ship is pretty empty on a port day if you want to stay onboard, so you will have your choice of loungers if that is what you like to do. Otherwise, just getting off the ship and browsing some nearby shops and possibly going to a beach will cost you little or nothing. Enjoy!:cool:

[DragonOfTheSeas]

The Enchantment of the Seas is a great ship. It is small enough to get around easily, but during a dry dock many years ago they cut her in half and welding a new middle section to her.

 

It really made the pool deck spacious. I think it has one of the best pool decks around. There is an extra bar on the side of the deck with a grouping of tables protected from any wind by glass. This was a nice spot to have a beverage. [even a complimentary lemonade or coffee].

 

Here is a picture of that I found on Photobucket. [i borrowed it. :)]

 

 

Something else that feels like a treat--but, does not cost anything is getting a pastry or dessert from the Cafe Lattitudes. [this is the coffee shop] Coffee and sodas at this stand are an extra charge, but the pastry and dessert is complimentary. My favorites are the cheesecake lollipops. They were individual little round cheesecakes. [likely made in a muffin tin] they were ices and decorated and had a Popsicle stick through them to make them easy to eat. The cookies are good, too.

Edited September 25, 2014 by DragonOfTheSeas

[Sat1]

I think you will find the RC staff most accommodating, and friendly. Welcome aboard.

[Hozhoni]

you will love enchantment! peaceful!! We too adopted a special needs child from foster care back in 2001. We also had 4 birth daughters. He's now 21 and married. It was a struggle and challenging. You deserve your breaks to refuel. Self care is very important. I('m a clinical social worker) We did the same thing then they started to cruise and all the kids ages 10- 22 are addicted and Diamond members....good luck and have fun :D

Dawn

[SC_Floaters]

I have not been on Enchantment but on others of that size (Splendour, Legend, Rhapsody) and have found there are a considerable number of tables on the pool deck that are under cover so you can sit and relax without sitting for extended periods in the direct sun.

We usually get a balcony but for our 15 day Legend cruise we had an inside so we spent the at sea days at those tables and it was great. Didn't miss the balcony at all. :)

 

Enchantment of the Seas is unique in it's class, during it's 2005 overhaul it was split in half and a 73' section added... Added a number of new lounges (Boleros), another Pool, Cabins, etc... It is a stretched Splendour, Legend, Rhapsody, etc). After the stretch, RCI decided it was not cost effective and canceled plans to stretch the other ships in it's class

 

Dennis & Sue

[SC_Floaters]

Dennis & Sue Here From the Charleston, SC area.

 

The Enchantment 3 and 4 day cruises out of Port Canaveral are our favorite getaways. Just a quick, relaxing week/weekend...

 

She is a seventeen year old ship that sails twice a week with up to 4,800 passengers total, we think She's great... We are booked in October and December...

 

We've sailed the Sovereign 3 times, Monarch 11 times and Enchantment 6 times to the Bahamas out of Port Canaveral since 2007... We've visited Nassau 26 times and CoCo Cay 19 times.

 

Plenty to do in both port visits without spending extra cash.

 

At CoCoCay we often take our Kindles, get a lounger in the shade of a palm tree and relax, then enjoy the BBQ before going back to the ship. The drink of the island, a CoCoLoCo is great too (you can get it with or without the dark rum)...

 

At Nassua, a walk around town is just outside the terminal. There is a pretty new staw market (local goods) that is really large with lots of local vendors. A favorite stop for us is Starbucks sometimes but most often a visit to Senor Frogs' ...

 

I have never had a cabin upgrade on any of the 3 or 4 day cruises out of Port Canaveral...

 

The Enchantment is just a FUN ship.

 

Dennis & Sue...

[Fat Paul]

I have never been aboard a ship that enforced that policy. On everyone I've seen kids around the Solarium and no one said anything or complained and they did eat at the table.

 

I have absolutely seen this policy enforced.

[Clarea]

I have absolutely seen this policy enforced.

In fact, on a recent Enchantment cruise, we saw a crewmember ask children to leave the Solarium hot tub several times.

[dbrook34601]

Thank you guys so much for all your responses! I am really excited to just get away. Most vacations I am wanting to go and do, but I have to say, to sit on a chair under a palm tree and just go with the flow sounds really nice! Less planning, and just relax. Thanks again!

[BND]

Are you kidding me?? I've NEVER seen kids using the solarium pool, hot tubs, or sitting around eating in there. It's for adults and young people OVER the age of 16, and is there for the sole purpose of allowing ADULTS a CHILD-FREE and QUIET place to relax. :mad:

 

For these reasons, the solarium is my favorite place to hang out. :D

 

Not entirely true. Children are allowed to sit at the tables and eat when there is a Park Cafe in the Solarium. They are also allowed in the Solarium itself. In fact, on a lot of ships, it's a walk through area. If you think it's supposed to be "quiet" it's not as I have been informed on here before. That has gone away over time.

 

And, we have seen the pool and hot tub policy enforced on several cruises.

Edited September 26, 2014 by BND